Half-Time
by DaMoyre
Summary: Amid war and missions, Duo and Trowa continue to play a dangerous power game. (shonen-ai, angst, hints of yaoi, sequel: to 'Evening the Score')
1. Part 1

18-April-2002

Title: Half-Time   
Series: Games  
Sequel to: Evening the Score  
Authors: DaMoyre and Stephanie  
Archive: GWAddiction, and if she chooses, Steelsong (www.steelsong.com)  
Pairings: Those established in the series.  
Rating: R (for language!)   
Warnings: angst, language, hints of yaoi and shonen-ai  
Disclaimer: We don't own GW. You know the drill.  
Feedback: Always welcome!  


Half-Time by DaMoyre and Stephanie 

Weeks had passed since that first casual encounter with Heero and Trowa. That night seemed now so far away, so remote, yet so palpable. That night that had marked the beginning of something, something that would not go away. It could have, perhaps, if Duo had not been so obsessed with repeating the experience. If he had kept himself from interfering between Heero and Trowa, if he had only let go... 

But Duo Maxwell did not know how to let go. Not when he felt himself used. Not when he felt himself cheated. And no matter how hard he'd tried to take the situation lightly, the truth was, he felt the sting.

He had been determined to even the score of this game that Heero and Trowa had started. And so he had...or so he thought. He'd managed to seduce Heero, and in the past few weeks, their sexual encounters had increased in frequency, and if he was honest, they had also increased in intensity. But Trowa had not joined them again, not after that second time. 

Over the last few weeks, Trowa had become more distant and detached - if that was even possible. Duo couldn't figure out what had changed, and why all of a sudden Trowa seemed to be playing by a different set of rules. 

It didn't really matter. 

With, or without Trowa, sex with Heero was the best kind he'd ever had. He couldn't lie to himself. This little game of seduction had gone a little further than he'd have liked. It was not merely about the physical experience. He felt a connection with Heero. Perhaps it was the fact that they were both Gundam pilots, that they both knew about war, and and about death. It was only logical that they would find what little solace they could in each other's arms. 

So why then, wasn't he at peace? Why couldn't he enjoy Heero's company without feeling a heavy weight on his chest? 

It was certainly more than he'd have expected at the beginning of this little charade. The fact that Trowa and Heero were still very much a couple didn't really bother him. What *really* got to him was Trowa's indifference, his silence and cold demeanor, the way he carried himself, with that ever-present aura of perfection that enervated him to no end.

And it wasn't like he hadn't tried to get closer to Trowa. He had tried what he could. Friendly conversation. Not so friendly confrontations. He had even tried seduction, but nothing seemed to work to break down Trowa's ice barrier. It was beginning to get very uncomfortable being around him. 

Trowa would not bother with him, and it was almost as if Trowa was 'permitting' Heero to use Duo as a side entertainment when he wasn't available. Duo hated the idea, and whenever he thought about it, he realized that he was trapped in a no-win situation. 

Who had really thought that anyone could come out of this game as a victor? 

As much as Duo would have liked to send Trowa very far away, he knew that was impossible. Sometimes they even had to work together, although he avoided being partnered with him. 

On those rare occasions, Duo had tried pushing a little, hoping to get a positive response from the taller pilot. Nothing worked. 

Fine. 

It was Trowa's choice, after all, and Duo had stopped trying to get closer to him. Instead, he'd opted to antagonize him whenever possible. 

Just a new phase of their game. 

* * *

Duo sneered as Trowa walked ahead of him. His gait was swift and graceful, despite the roots, and branches that covered the forest floor. One could barely hear him as he walked. He seemed as agile as a deer leaping through the underbrush. In contrast, Duo made as much noise as possible without having cymbals tied to his knees. He had taken to crunching over twigs and kicking up dried leaves as a means to pass the time. Almost an hour had passed before Trowa decided to halt his pace and turn to look at Duo. His eyes narrowed on him in irritation. 

"Oh, finally!" Duo's voice carried an edge of sarcasm as Trowa finally acknowledged him. "I thought you would never notice that I was still here." He sighed softly and stretched his arms behind his back. "We've been walking for a while. I think we should stop here."

Trowa turned back to whatever path he had paved in his own mind's eyes and continued his brisk pace. "No. A little further ahead. And stop making noise."

"A little further ahead?" Duo rolled his eyes and ran to catch up with him. "What's the difference, Trowa? We're in the middle of nowhere! Just trees and trees everywhere! And I'm not going to stop making noise! Do you realize you have not said a word for the past THREE hours!" 

"Ninety minutes," Trowa corrected. "There is a river up ahead. We can trap some fish." He stopped again and regarded Duo for a moment "Then if you're still intent on making noise, we can just radio Oz with the location of our camp."

Duo glared at Trowa and shook his head slowly in disgust. "Maybe I *should* radio Oz with our location! They might at least have *something* to say!" He pushed Trowa aside, this time walking ahead of him. "I hope this river is close by and that you actually know where you're going." He trudged onward, muttering under his breath, "It's only my fucking luck that I'd be stuck with this guy again..."

"We wouldn't be here if I didn't know the area." Trowa said, glancing back at Duo for a moment. He had somehow gotten ahead again and Duo made a mental note to keep a better eye on him. "I've been assessing our surroundings and our next move." He paused for a moment as though considering his words. "I haven't had time to talk."

"You never have time to talk." Duo shrugged. "So, how far are we from this river?" 

Trowa said nothing for a minute, seeming to be caught up with some noise in the distance. Only when he seemed satisfied that nothing had followed them, turned his attention back to Duo. "Not far," he said.

"Not far..." Duo repeated softly. "Well, that's really helpful!" 

They continued on for fifteen minutes, in silence once again, until Trowa finally pointed out a small clearing to Duo. The river was only a few feet beyond it. "There. We can rest there for a while." 

"All right," Duo nodded in agreement, "that sounds good." He tiredly made his way to the clearing, dragging his feet the rest of the way. He let his knapsack fall from his back as he sat on the ground. "So how come you know your way around here?"

Trowa sat down next to him and crossed his legs. "I scanned the area as we flew over it and memorized the flight map. I spent a lot of time camping in forests before I left for L3."

"You *memorized* the flight map..." Duo smiled a little and shook his head. "I should've known! Very impressive, Trowa! I guess we could just throw away our compass now, huh?" 

Trowa had obviously missed the joke, as he replied, "I don't think that would be wise."

"Well, I meant with the map in your head..." Duo tried to explain, only to be countered with Trowa's blank stare. "Forget it, wasn't important." He took his cap off and brushed his bangs back to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "I still don't know why you chose to spend the night in the woods! We should have just hidden the Gundams and gone back to the town for the night." 

"The town is occupied, it was too risky." Trowa unlaced his boots and dumped out a few rocks that had managed to lodge themselves inside.

"Not if we didn't attract attention to ourselves," Duo countered. "But whatever. I just want it to be tomorrow and get this mission over with." 

Trowa pulled his bag over and began taking out a few supplies. "Think about the moment, and not about what hasn't happened yet." 

"The moment... oh yeah!" Duo lay back on the ground and rolled his head from side to side. "At the moment I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere...and all I really want is a nice meal and a place to sleep." 

Trowa gave him a cursory glance as he put together a small fish trap. "War is seldom comfortable, Duo." 

"No kidding! But you seem to like making it even *more* uncomfortable!" Duo shot up and gave Trowa an accusatory glare. "We could be in town and get rested for tomorrow...but instead we're here." 

"It's an unnecessary risk, Duo." Trowa set the netting down and looked out over the river. "We'll find food and rest here."

"I suppose it could always be worse," Duo mused. He opened his backpack and pulled out a few crackers. "Want some?" he offered as he nibbled on one. 

Trowa shook his head. "Later." He stood and took the fish trap over to the riverbank and began to set it up. 

Duo watched Trowa attentively, as he had never seen anyone set a fish trap that way. "Have you actually caught fish with that before?" 

Trowa turned to him. "Yeah. Why?"

"Just curious," Duo shrugged and continued nibbling on his cracker. "I never fished before."

Trowa finished setting the trap and sat back down next to Duo. "They don't have artificial lakes in the L2 colonies?"

"Oh, they do," Duo told him, "but you probably wouldn't want to eat anything that lives in there..." 

Trowa nodded. "I've heard about the conditions on L2." 

"Yeah." Duo sighed. "It's pretty bad. If you accidentally fell in one of those lakes, your body would probably start to rot. So no fish in L2."

Trowa became silent for a long time. He pulled his knees to his chest and once again seemed to gaze out over the river, his thoughts seeming as elusive as the running water. He suddenly asked, "Will you stay on the Earth when the war is over?" 

"Hmmm..." Duo stirred, jarred out of his own musings by the question. He ate the last piece of cracker and shook the crumbs from his hands. "Maybe. It's nice here. It's probably even nicer in peaceful times..." 

Trowa nodded. He turned his gaze back to the forest, seeming to survey the area around him as though he heard a noise again. 

"It's just birds, Trowa," Duo said quietly. 

Trowa lied back against the ground, tucking his knapsack under his head. "I've never known it to be peaceful."

Duo looked up at the sky and sighed softly. "When the war is over, it will be better...even if it's not completely peaceful. It will be better..." 

Trowa stared up at the trees, and as was his growing habit during this trip, he remained silent for long while before answering. "Perhaps." 

Duo studied Trowa as they lay there, it wasn't often one had a chance to observe Trowa in a reflective moment. If he wasn't giving an order, Trowa either ignored you or stared at you blankly. But now, Trowa was thinking. And he almost seemed... peaceful. He didn't seem so edgy and cold when he was like that. In fact, at that very moment, Trowa was almost likable. Duo wondered what he was thinking about... the fish, the mission, or Heero? 

Heero. 

Duo felt himself tense only thinking of him. And it was there, that bitter taste in his mouth that was becoming so familiar. He could not let his guard down and be distracted by Trowa's facade. They were now fighting two wars. One together, the other against each other. 

It was a war game... and he would not be the one to fall in combat. 

Duo shook his head, clearing the thoughts from his mind. Whatever Trowa's game, he wouldn't let it get the best of him. He already had Heero, didn't he? The Perfect Soldier. 

Trowa's shell couldn't be so much harder. He was certainly colder... but harder? Soon he would have to give in... or give up. 

"So," Duo cleared his throat, "how long do you think it will take before we catch some fish?" he asked, making his voice sound as casual as possible. 

Trowa closed his eyes. "Not long. We've probably caught some already." 

Duo sat up on his elbows and looked over to where Trowa set the traps. "So... why don't we get them out?" 

"I'm tired, Duo," Trowa said, and then he turned over on his side. "We just hiked for nearly two hours after a mission. The fish aren't going anywhere." 

Tired? So Trowa *did* get tired. But it was time to eat, so the manifestation of Trowa's human side was rather poorly timed. "I'm tired too... but I'm also hungry! Aren't you?"

Trowa opened his eyes and sat up. "No. Go bring the trap back if you're hungry. You can start cleaning the fish."

"All right." Duo got up and wiped his hands on his pants. "But you have to show me how to clean these. I never fished before, remember? Are you going to make a fire? Or are we eating sushi tonight?" he grinned.

"I don't know," Trowa looked up again. The habit was beginning to make Duo nervous. "I saw a few Aries flying overhead about an hour ago. A fire would not be a good idea right now."

Duo grimaced and sat back down. "Forget it then. I'm not eating raw fish." He pulled his backpack over to him and rummaged for more crackers. 

"It's not bad once it's cleaned, Duo," Trowa said in some poor attempt to convince him that eating half-dead, bacteria-infected, slimy fish was a *good* thing. 

"Ha!" Duo laughed and made a face. "You *are* joking, right?"

"No." Trowa shook his head. "I've done it before, when there's been nothing else to eat and the wood is too wet to build a fire. You just have to be extra careful when you clean them." 

"Yeah, and remember to pack a shit load of wasabi! Uh-uh...no way! It won't be the first time I skip dinner. The crackers will do for me." Duo hurried through his bag looking for anything better than what Trowa offered. He knew he had a half eaten stick of beef jerky *somewhere*. "You can eat as many raw fish as you like," he shuddered as he said it. "I can't believe I followed you here! I should have stayed in town..."

"I wouldn't have let you." 

Duo blinked. "What did you just say? You wouldn't have *let me*!" Duo threw his head back and laughed, finding Trowa's statement as amusing as it was infuriating. "Trowa... I think you're hallucinating, buddy! You wouldn't have 'let met'! The next mission is tomorrow, and for your information, what I do between now and the time of the assignment is *none* of your business."

Trowa stared blankly at him. "You know the location of my Gundam," he said. "You know what direction I left in. Leaving you to wander the town alone is also..." he hesitated for a moment and regarded Duo carefully, "an unnecessary risk." 

"Unnecessary risk..." Duo mimicked. "Just stop right there okay! It's not like I was going to get myself caught! Do you seriously think that only your plans are infallible!"

Trowa folded his arms over his knees and rested his head over them. He seemed so casual, as though he were discussing nothing more important than sports or a book. It was unnerving. "You can't guarantee that you would not get caught." He spoke softly in his toneless voice, which somehow also managed to sound lyrical. Did everything about him have to be accented with a touch of that infuriating superior grace of his? "You've been caught before. We can't risk it. You're here now, so stop complaining about it." 

Duo sighed, exasperated by this recent round with Trowa. He was impossible! Worse than Heero in so many ways. "I'm not the only one who has been caught, in case you don't remember! It must be that none of us is as *perfect* as you!" he spat.

Trowa turned his head away. "Stop it." 

"Next time, remind me to trade assignments with Quatre or Wufei. I never want to be stuck with you again!" Duo crossed his arms and scowled at Trowa, who turned back to face him. 

Trowa extended his long slender hand toward the river. "Wufei would have dumped you in there by now."

Duo glared at Trowa and bit his lower lip. "Whatever." He lay back and covered his face with his cap. He was seething. And he was hating himself for letting Trowa get the best of him yet again. He could keep his cool...show Trowa he wasn't the only cold bastard in the group.

Duo took a deep breath and kept his eyes shut. It was only a few more hours till he could get away from this. All he had to do was survive this overnight in the woods, and in the morning, they would accomplish their mission and it would all be over. 

He swore to himself he would *never*, under any circumstances, be partnered with Trowa again. If he had to intercept mission assignments, or even murder Dr. G, he would gladly do so. But never again! 

Trowa was a self-serving, arrogant, bastard who always thought himself superior. Duo still remembered what Trowa had done to his Gundam, and he also remembered that heavy punch he'd given him back in the Oz cell. This wasn't just a silly little game. This was war. 

How the hell could he have thought that Trowa might be an okay guy? Why in the world had he even tried getting close to him? Christ, why had he even *fucked* this guy! He was the coldest son of a bitch he'd ever met! 

What the hell was wrong with Heero that he could be with this guy? 

Heero... 

Duo felt his heart bolt inside his chest. It was that name...it always came to Heero.

A soft rustle of dry leaves made Duo shot up, grabbing his gun and trying not to panic that they had been discovered.

But it was just Trowa. Duo hadn't heard him leave, but now he was coming back with his arm loaded with branches. Duo blinked a few times and put his gun away. "What are you doing? I thought you said we weren't going to make a fire." 

Trowa set the twigs down and began to arrange a small fire pit. "We have an hour before nightfall. Go get the fish." 

Duo stared at him for a minute, not sure how to take this new turn of events. Maybe Trowa was offering a sign of peace between them for now. Trowa was always practical, and it wouldn't do for his partner to hate him before flying a mission. But whatever the case, he was offering cooked food, and Duo was hungry. 

He stood up and walked over to the fish traps and pulled them out. They wiggled and squirmed in the netting, gasping for breath...or rather water. He understood their plight, in this game he found himself in, Duo felt the same way. 

He knelt down next to Trowa and pulled out a pocketknife. "You caught quite a few here. Let's see if I can figure out how to clean them." He stared at them for while, waiting until they stopped moving to do anything. 

Trowa placed his hand over Duo's and took the pocketknife from him. "Watch over the fire and keep it going. I'll gut and clean them." 

Duo nodded and let go of the knife. He had never done this before, and Trowa would be much faster. Trowa took the fish from Duo and swiftly sliced them, dumping the guts, tails and heads out on the ground. He bundled the edible remains up in a handkerchief and took them to the river to wash. When he was done, he placed the fish in front of Duo, who watched intently everything that he did. "You can cook them," Trowa said.

Duo looked at them for a moment, deciding on the best way in which to cook the fish. He picked up a long stick and inserted it through the open end, which used to be the head, until it poked through where the tail once was. He looked at Trowa to see if he was doing it right, but Trowa said nothing. When he was satisfied with his own method, he repeated the job for each fish. He held one of them over the fire for himself and handed one of them to Trowa, who took it and did the same. 

They ate in silence. 

* * *

End Part 1

to be continued...

DaMoyre and Stephanie

* * *


	2. Part 2

24-April-2002

Title: Half-Time - Part 2  
Series: Games  
Authors: DaMoyre and Stephanie  
Pairings: Those established in the series.  
Rating: R (for language!)  
Warnings: angst, language, shonen-ai, hints of yaoi  
Disclaimer: We don't own GW. You know the drill.  
Feedback: Always welcome!

Half-Time by DaMoyre and Stephanie Part Two 

Duo finished his meal and sighed with satisfaction. The fish Trowa provided had tasted better than anything else he had eaten in weeks. It didn't matter that they had no spices and no salt. Duo wasn't picky, not when it came to food. Over the years, he had learned that after a long day, anything that was warm and edible was good enough. 

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. It was getting dark, and although it was not exactly a cold night, the evening breeze made him shiver a little. He brought his knees up to his chest and extended his hands towards the dying fire. 

Trowa had barely touched his food. After a strenuous day of work and hiking, Duo couldn't understand how someone could still function with so little fuel. Perhaps he was really too tired to eat.

Duo observed Trowa for a few moments. He had not said a single word over dinner and now, he remained motionless, sitting directly across from Duo with his eyes fixed on something, but what, Duo couldn't say. Once again, Trowa seemed peaceful. The flames danced slowly and reflected on Trowa's hair, as well as the visible half of his face. It was interesting to look at Trowa under this light. His strong features looked almost...delicate.

It was at times like this that Duo wished the ice barrier between them would finally melt. Afterall, it wasn't so hard to like Trowa, was it? If it weren't for the fact that he was cold, and arrogant, and standoffish...

Bastard.

Duo clenched his jaw and cursed himself. This was not the time to go soft on Trowa...not if he wanted to win the game.

"Are we camping here for the night?" Duo asked, finally breaking the silence.

Trowa turned his eyes over to him, apparently coming out of whatever trance he had been in for the past forty minutes or so. He nodded. 

"Good," Duo said. "We should probably call it a night."

"Yeah," Trowa said quietly. He stood up and proceeded to put out the fire. 

Duo took out his handkerchief and wrapped up the remaining fish. It would be enough to provide the next day's meal for both Trowa and himself, and considering how little Trowa ate, perhaps a little more.

As they were setting up their sleeping bags, two mobile suits flew above, making them both stir up immediately. There was a noise in the distance that Duo recognized as gunfire. A single shot, and then silence. 

It was possible that the shot had come from a random hunter. Or maybe someone had shot a rabid raccoon...or a snake. Just because someone else was in the forest, and carried a gun, didn't mean that they had been traced. On the other hand, the shot had coincided with the passing of the mobile suits. 

They couldn't take any chances. 

"Did you hear that?" Duo jumped up, grabbing the gun he carried in his ankle.

"Yeah," Trowa whispered. He brought his index finger over to his lips and motioned for Duo to be quiet. "Whoever it is...they're still far. We need to move fast," he paused for a moment and then pointed to the river. "We'll cross."

"It's kinda chilly to get wet, Trowa. Let's just keep moving along the stream. We'll find a place to hide." Duo looked around, scanning the area to determine if crossing the river was really their only option. 

"No," Trowa shook his head. "Crossing will be safer." 

"If we keep going up, it will be just as safe, Trowa," Duo said, but Trowa seemed to already have made up his mind. "How come you and I can never agree on anything?" he said, more to himself than to Trowa. He wasn't really expecting an answer. 

"This isn't about you, Duo. It simply isn't practical. I know the area. Were we on L2, I would listen to your suggestions, while we are here, you should listen to mine." 

"Trowa, listen to me," Duo said. He walked closer to Trowa to make eye contact. "Practical is good while we're fighting, but right now we have a few hours when we can actually *relax* before tomorrow's mission. It doesn't matter what direction we take, we'll still be getting away from whoever is out there...and at least we won't be cold and wet! We could both be dead in the morning." 

"I'm trying to keep us alive," Trowa said simply. 

"I'm tired of following your orders, and you won't even take my suggestions," Duo snapped. "I've survived for years on my own. I think I can take care of myself." 

"What are you fighting so hard against?" Trowa said softly, and his words were barely audible over the sound of the river. 

"What are you talking about?" Duo zipped up his backpack after putting away his pocket knife. "I'm not fighting anything," he said. "You're the one who always has a problem..."

"This isn't really about my decisions, Duo," Trowa stated evenly. "This is about something else." 

"Something else?" Duo asked, narrowing his eyes in the dimming light of dusk, as he searched the ground to make sure he would leave nothing behind. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"This isn't the time." Trowa slid the backpack over his shoulders and began walking along the riverbank. 

Duo let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head. Everything that had been happening for the last few weeks was weighing him down, and he could feel himself slipping away from mission objectives. Trowa was right, this wasn't the time. For the time being, Trowa was his partner and it was in everyone's best interest for them to work as a team, whether he liked it or not. 

He gathered his belongings and began a quick pace, following only a few steps behind Trowa. "Where are we going to cross?" he asked.

"A little up ahead. The river will narrow." 

"There are logs laying across the river," Duo pointed out. "Why don't we just use those to cross?" 

"Logs lying across rivers have a tendency to be rotted on the inside. If you don't know how long the tree has been down, I wouldn't cross it," Trowa said simply, but somehow, he still managed to sound pompous. 

Duo rolled his eyes at him. "You know everything about trees, and rivers and forests, but the logs look fine. I *have* crossed over a log before, and nothing happened!"

"You were lucky."

Duo shot Trowa a cursory glance. "And you're so--"

"Duo," Trowa cut him off, "they may look fine on the outside, but if you step on a spot that's rotted on the inside, it will crumble."

"Trowa, we're not crossing with our fucking Gundams! I doubt either one of us weighs more than a hundred pounds." 

Trowa stopped on his tracks and looked at Duo for a moment. "Alright," he finally said, "we'll cross here." 

Duo looked at Trowa and allowed himself to smile a little. "Good," he said. "I see something over there." He pointed to what seemed to be a wide log, fallen only a few feet away from their location.

Once they approached it, Trowa examined it and kicked it a few times, trying to assess its condition. "Looks fine." 

They rolled it and dragged it to the river, pushing the long makeshift bridge across it as far as they could, till the log nearly touched the other side. The river wasn't deep, about only knee high, but it was fast. One could lose their footing easily, were they to fall in it. The log was semi-covered in parts as the river rolled over it, making the moss that clung to it both slimy and slippery. As Duo looked on, he was beginning to have second thoughts about crossing the river here. 

Trowa was the first to go, and he did it quickly, walking over the tree as if he were walking on a wide sidewalk. He then jumped over to the other side, landing easily. He slid off his backpack and tossed it down on the ground. 

Everything looked so easy, Duo thought. He had seen Trowa cross in a matter of seconds. So then, *why* was he having such a hard time making it across the log? It had only taken two steps on top to discover that the trunk was not nearly as wide as it had looked at first.

Keeping his balance was turning out to be a difficult task, and it was hard to keep going to the other side when his eyes were fixed on the trunk, and on his feet. He gripped his backpack as tight as he could, as if by some miracle it would help him to levitate and take him to the other side. 

"Look up, Duo," he heard Trowa's voice. "Look up and give me your hand." 

"I'll be all right," Duo muttered. He had suggested that they cross using a log, and he would be damned if he was going to allow Trowa to help him. He was sure that he could cross on his own...if only the log didn't seem so unstable. 

His feet felt heavy, and he wished he were barefoot instead of wearing boots. It would probably be easier to keep his balance if he could actually *feel* the trunk with the soles of his feet. He took a few more steps and then looked up at Trowa, flashing him a triumphant grin. "Almost there." 

Trowa said nothing, and Duo continued over to the other side. Only a couple more steps...

Just a little more... 

But it was all too quick. Duo felt the log move under his feet, throwing him completely out of balance. The splash of the water was muffled by Duo's cursing. 

And now he was cold.

And he was wet. 

His backpack felt heavier now that it was soaked, and Duo struggled to keep afloat. He looked up, only to see Trowa gracefully jump over to a nearby rock, and stoop over, extending his hand to help him out.

Despite the cold water surrounding him, Duo felt warm. It was the warmth of rage and embarrassment rising up to his head. Once more, Trowa was on top. At this rate, Duo would *never* be able to settle the score. 

Reluctantly, he moved towards Trowa and grabbed his hand. "Go ahead," he shouted as he came out of the water, "just laugh! I'm sure you find this fucking hilarious." He threw his backpack on the ground, and began twisting his braid.

Trowa knelt down and picked up Duo's sleeping bag, shaking off the excess water. He then opened the backpack and began emptying its contents. "We need to air everything out so it's dry for tomorrow."

Duo looked down at Trowa and frowned. "Just leave it! I don't care if everything is dry or wet! I'll just throw the stupid bag away. I don't need anything." He jumped from the rock to the other side and sat on the ground to remove his boots. "I'm fucking soaked...that's all I needed right now!" 

"It's getting cold," Trowa said. "Get out of those clothes, you can use my sleeping bag."

"Oh, you're *so* generous," Duo muttered. He kicked his boots away and took off his shirt, tossing it aside. "I'll be fine. It's not like I haven't slept in the cold before." He stood up and walked a few steps, cursing under his breath. 

"Just use it, Duo," Trowa insisted. "I have an extra blanket in my backpack."

Duo was shivering. He rubbed his arms repeatedly, trying to warm up. It was one thing to sleep outdoors. He could handle that. But sleeping outdoors, with wet hair, and no clothes, was quite a different story. He turned over to Trowa, who was so *kindly* offering his own sleeping bag. "Well," Duo said, "since you insist." He walked over to where Trowa had laid his bag and unzipped it. "I will take your extra blanket." 

Duo wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and then unbuckled his belt. He slid out of his wet pants and hung them from a tree branch, hoping that they would be dry in the morning. Otherwise, he would have to pilot his Gundam feeling like he had not made it to the bathroom on time. That is, unless he skipped the pants and went to the mission in his underwear. 

But even for Duo, that was just too weird. What if he got captured? He had already been through enough humiliation for one day. He was half-naked and wet in front of Trowa. He really didn't need any Oz soldiers having a ball with the Gundam pilot in cotton boxers... 

Unless, he got to moon them. 

Hmm... 

Duo snorted and sat down on the ground. He curled inside the blanket and looked up at Trowa. "Thanks."

"Take the bag, Duo. I have dry clothing on. I don't need as much protection."

"I don't want you to give up your sleeping bag," Duo said. "It was my fault."

"That hardly matters now," and for once, Trowa's voice didn't sound so cold. It was almost...soothing. 

Duo sighed heavily. How had they gotten to this point? A few months earlier, this would have never happened to him on a mission. He had worked with Trowa in the past, and nothing had ever gone so wrong. 

"Yup." Duo tucked his feet inside the blanket and looked down. "I screwed up. Whatever. Doesn't matter now..."

Trowa took out the sleeping bag and walked over to Duo. He sat down next to him. "Why do you do that?" 

"Do what?" Duo asked, without looking up. He tried to control his body's involuntary shivers as a rush of wind swept by. He was so cold, he could barely keep himself from moving closer to Trowa and curling up next to him. 

"Act as though you know what I think, or that I'm laughing at you," Trowa continued. 

Duo bit the inside of his lip and looked over at Trowa for a moment. "I don't claim to know what you think," he said, somehow managing to make his voice sound clear. How could he keep his body still, when he could feel the cold penetrating his bones? The water dripping from his braid didn't help either. "I don't know where you got that," he added, clenching his teeth.

Trowa unzipped the sleeping bag and pushed it over to Duo. "Get in."

Duo didn't object this time. Without hesitation, he stood up and removed his boxers, wringing them only a little before tossing them on top of his boots. Then, he slid inside the bag and zipped it up. "Thanks, Trowa," he said quietly.

Trowa gave Duo a single nod in acknowledgment.

* * *

End Part 2

DaMoyre and Stephanie


	3. Part 3

29-April-2002

Title: Half-Time - Part 3/3  
Series: Games  
Authors: DaMoyre and Stephanie  
Pairings: 2+3 in this part.  
Rating: R (for language!)  
Warnings: angst, language, shonen-ai, hints of yaoi  
Disclaimer: We don't own GW. You know the drill.  
Feedback: Always welcome!

Half-Time by DaMoyre and Stephanie Part Three 

Duo lay on his back and looked up at the sky. "At least the sky is clear. It would totally suck if we got rained on." 

"It wouldn't be the first time." Trowa shrugged. He took a book out of his backpack and leaned against a tree. 

"True." Duo nodded.

Duo curled inside the sleeping bag and continued staring at the sky. It didn't matter how badly his day had gone, at least he could now enjoy a few quiet moments to contemplate the stars, and the moon. He had been fascinated with the sky since his first night on Earth. Perhaps it was because living in L2, he'd never gotten the chance to appreciate it. The engineers had tried to emulate life on Earth, but their designs of the sun, the moon, and the stars could never compare to the real thing. 

Or maybe it was because piloting a Gundam had made him feel more connected to the sky than he felt to Earth; or because somehow, by looking at the sky, he could still watch over the people he'd left back in L2. It didn't matter that they were all dead. 

Duo closed his eyes and pulled his braid over to his chest. He played with the damp tip, allowing his fingers to pull at the rubber band. "So...what are you reading?" he asked. He slightly opened one of his eyes and glanced over in Trowa's direction. 

"The Thief's Journal." 

"Never heard of that," Duo said. "Title sounds interesting. Any good?" 

Trowa looked up from his book. "I just started it now. I'll let you know tomorrow." 

"You won't get too far with this lighting." 

"There's a full moon and it's a clear night," Trowa replied, as he turned the page. 

"The moon is nice to look at...but it's not exactly the best source of lighting." 

"I guess I'll have to make do," Trowa said curtly. 

"I guess so." Duo rolled over, turning his back to Trowa. There was really no point in trying to make small talk with him. After everything that had happened today, there was no point in anything at all. Their differences were irreconcilable, and he could feel the gap between them widening by the minute. He was fully aware that in many ways, this was his own doing. 

It was so frustrating to be here with him, in complete, and utter silence, when there were so many things he would like to tell him, so many things he wanted to ask him. But he didn't know where to begin, and he didn't know where any of this would end. All he knew is that it didn't matter what he did or say, Trowa was always evasive. Trowa always ignored him. 

"Are you planning to read all night?" he asked, not bothering to mask the bitterness in his voice. 

"Did you have something else in mind?" Trowa's voice was flat. 

Of course he had something else in mind. He wanted to yell, to scream, to let Trowa know exactly what he thought of this stupid game, of his indifference, and how quickly his resentment for him was turning into the closest thing he'd ever felt to hatred. 

But he wouldn't allow Trowa that privilege. He couldn't allow Trowa to know just how deeply he was getting to him. "I don't know," Duo said casually. "What could two people do...when they're alone in the woods?" His tone of voice slipped from casual to something lower and huskier. He looked up at Trowa, and then, slowly moved his gaze downward, seductively moving his hands along his own body under the sleeping bag. 

Trowa closed his book and fixed his eyes on Duo. 

"Well?" Duo arched an eyebrow. 

"A little over an hour ago you twice said you wished you were with anyone but me. Am I supposed to be flattered now that you want to fuck?" 

Duo laughed and shrugged a little. "Casual fucking seems to be your thing. I don't see why not." 

"I don't think so, Duo."

"Why not?" Duo scoffed. "Because Heero isn't here to participate in the game? So...it only works when he's around?" 

Trowa dropped the book and stood up. "It doesn't work at all anymore. There is nothing in the act for you...it's just a game you need to win." 

Duo tossed his head back and laughed. "You're unbelievable, you know that?" He glared at Trowa. "This is a game *you* started." 

"Yes," Trowa said quietly. "I know." 

"So don't pretend to be offended when I suggest we fuck. This is the game we've been playing...and it was your idea!" Duo shook his head and swallowed hard, trying to drown his indignation. 

Why had he even bothered bringing this up? Why couldn't he just forget about Trowa, and about everything that had passed between them? He needed to let go, but how to go about doing that, he did not know. 

He knew how to steal money, or food, or whatever else he needed to survive. He knew how to fight off gangs, and how to keep alive in the wild streets of L2. He knew how to bury away his fears; he'd buried them so well, the word fear no longer existed in the Maxwell vocabulary. He knew how to pilot a Gundam, and how to fire guns...but this? 

It wasn't that he had never been used for sex in the past, but they had been random people. In his memory, those faces were dark and faded. None of it really mattered anymore. He had never been used this way, not the way Trowa and Heero had used him. 

And it hurt. 

"Forget it, Trowa." Duo sighed, exasperated. He lay on his side and covered his face with the sleeping bag. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. This really wouldn't lead him anywhere. Only a couple more hours till their mission, and then it would be all over. 

He closed his eyes and hoped that somehow, he would still be able to fall asleep tonight, despite all the tensions of the day. 

"Heero," Trowa said softly, "he was...curious. He wanted to know, what it would be like." He paused for a moment and sighed. "I though... I would give him the chance to see what he wanted. I never thought this would go so far." 

Duo bit his lower lip and remained motionless for a few seconds, before bolting upright to glare at Trowa. "So you did this for him?" 

"We didn't mean any harm," Trowa said quietly. 

"I hope you're fucking kidding!" Duo shouted. "You *did* do this for him! What the hell did you think you were doing, playing these games! What if I took him away from you? Then what?" 

"Is that what you want?" Trowa asked, looking directly into Duo's eyes. 

"We're not talking about me right now! I don't know if I should pity you or beat the shit out of you." 

"I gave Heero a choice...to find out what it was he wanted." Trowa brought his knees up to his chest and pressed his head against the tree. "I thought you were interested," he said quietly.

"You *used* me to give your boyfriend the chance to...experiment, or whatever! How far were you planning to take this?" Duo could feel his pulse throbbing on his temples. He brought his hands up to rub at his forehead, slowing moving them to the sides. 

"You went after Heero and kept returning for more," Trowa continued to speak in his passive tone, as if none of this was of any consequence. 

"And what the fuck did you think I was going to do?" Duo hissed. "Walk away, just like that? So you thought you could *use* me once and then toss me away? I don't think so!" Duo shook his head. 

"No. That's not what I thought." 

Duo stared at Trowa, expecting him to say something else. How could he remain so calm, so nonchalant while Duo felt his blood boiling inside. "So then, *what*!" Duo tightened his jaw. "What the hell *did* you think?" 

"Heero cares for you," Trowa said flatly. 

"Fuck you, Trowa!" Duo frowned. "The two of you were playing games with me! You're backing off now because you think you're losing!" 

"No, Duo." Trowa straightened up and looked at him in the eye. "This isn't a game." 

"It certainly looked like one to me! And you played along at first, don't deny it! Even the second time...when you came into the room that night, you could have walked away, but you didn't! You had it all planned!" 

"That night..." Trowa looked down. "I only told him you were planning to see him while I was away on my mission. He said he would send you away...but he didn't." Trowa sighed. "There was no plot, no game there." 

"So you really expected that this would be a 'one time thing,' didn't you?" 

"No...not after I found the two of you together that night. I knew there was something there." Trowa stood up and walked a few paces away. "I knew that he cared." 

"Oh...so that's *caring*!" Duo said, his voice spilling with sarcasm. "How could you do this, Trowa? Didn't it cross your mind that I might not take any of this as lightly as the two of you?" 

"Heero had assured me that you...liked sex," Trowa replied. "He said you told him it was fun, and that you had talked about having a threesome before." He turned over to look at Duo. "After that, I didn't think you would be upset over this...if we just tried it once." 

Duo's eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh...yeah! That makes it all better!" He slid out of the sleeping bag and walked over to Trowa. Nevermind that the temperature had dropped at least ten more degrees since nightfall, and that he was wearing nothing at all. "Tell me *who* doesn't like sex, Trowa? What the hell are you talking about?" 

Trowa removed his jacket and offered it to Duo. "It's cold." 

Duo waved his hand to decline Trowa's offer. He walked over to pick up the blanket he had left on the ground and covered himself. "I can't believe this," he muttered. 

"When I realized...that he had been wrong," Trowa continued. "I wanted it to stop." 

Duo bit his lower lip and smacked his forehead. "Heero takes everything *so* fucking literally! I probably mentioned something to him a while back. I don't remember. But it was just a comment, you know... 'Hey, Heero, wouldn't a threesome be cool? Have you ever thought of that?' I never thought he would make anything of it!" 

"Heero thought--" 

"I know what he thought!" Duo cut him off, "Heero thinks I'm a whore, and that you two could just come up to me anytime. Use me for a little game and then toss me away!" 

"No." Trowa shook his head. "If he thought that, he would have nothing to do with you." 

"And all this time, I've been thinking..." Duo narrowed his eyes on Trowa. "I don't know what I've been thinking! I've made a fool of myself. Why the hell didn't you say something sooner?" 

"What was I suppose to say?" Trowa asked, his voice was soft. It lacked the characteristic air of superiority that never failed to irritate Duo. It wasn't exactly meek, but it was...different. 

"Anything! What you just told me would have done fine! At least I would *know* exactly what the hell was going on. You should have told me you didn't want this game. Instead you said *nothing*! You just seemed to be avoiding me. What the hell was I supposed to think?" 

"Sorry," Trowa said quietly. 

"No." Duo tightened the blanket around himself and sat on the ground. "You know what? I set myself up for this. I've been acting like an asshole." 

Trowa walked over and sat next to Duo. None of them said a word for a long time. 

Everything made a little more sense now, if that was possible in this situation. The game, the motives, the sex. But no matter what the reasons were, Trowa and Heero had done wrong. Duo knew, too, that his own actions didn't exactly make him a candidate for the Nobel Prize in morals and good deeds. It all came down to misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and a thirst for revenge that had completely blinded him to all reason. 

As his respiration returned to normal rate, Duo began feeling cold again. It was amazing what adrenaline could do to one's body that he had completely forgotten about his wet hair, his exposed skin. 

"It's late. Let's go to sleep," Duo broke the silence. "And from tonight on... let's forget about all this, okay?" 

Trowa looked at Duo for a long moment. "And then what?" 

"And then nothing!" Duo snapped. "What else would you like to see happening? This wasn't enough for you?" 

"We can't ignore this," Trowa said. "Heero..." his voice trailed off. 

Duo jumped up and made his way back to the sleeping bag. "What exactly do you expect me to do?" He slid inside and rolled up the blanket to use as a pillow. "Just go to Heero and pretend that everything is great? Continue trying to piss you off every chance I get?" Duo shook his head. "This is never going to work. And you know what? Who cares!" 

"Duo," Trowa looked down, hesitating for a moment. "Heero cares. He knew you down to the rhythm of your breathing." 

Duo was startled for a moment. How could he respond to this? This wasn't exactly what he had expected. None of it. If Heero *really* cared, even slightly, then... where did this leave Trowa? 

Out. Trowa was out! Duo had won the game. This was his last chance to settle the score. He could destroy everything that Trowa and Heero had, whatever it was, and then he could walk away with his prize. Duo felt that tightness in his chest again, that suffocating feeling that always accompanied Heero's name. 

Heero was the prize. And Trowa would have to pay. 

Duo winced. 

How could he think this way? He looked over at Trowa, who was still sitting there, in the middle of the woods, in the cold, with his jacket tucked away between his legs. For the first time, Duo saw him in a different light. He was no longer the infallible infiltrator he had been in Oz. He was no longer the pilot who had destroyed Deathscythe. He was no longer the arrogant bastard who had ignored him, the one who had turned him away. He was just Trowa, the boy who had helped him out of the water, the one who had offered his own sleeping bag. 

He couldn't do this. He couldn't do this to Trowa, or Heero. He couldn't do this to himself. 

"Do you love him?" he blurted out the question. 

"Yes," Trowa said quietly. He continued starting at the ground. 

"Then you should try to work it out with him." Duo sighed. 

Trowa shook his head. "He's comfortable with me. We speak the same language...but it's not enough." 

"I think you're wrong." Duo turned on his side to get a better view of Trowa. "There's more to it than just being comfortable with you. I think he needs you," he said with confidence. 

He had seen Heero and Trowa together, the way they would magically synchronize during a mission. Even if the plans changed, they always fell back on track, as if they could read each other's minds. He had seen them communicate with subtle stares that probably meant more than the million words he could say at any given time. He had seen them share a silence that even he couldn't break, no matter how hard he tried. 

"He needs *you*," Trowa said quietly. "He had the chance to turn you away...but he didn't." 

"Me?" Duo chuckled. "No, pal. You don't understand here. I made sure I was around him every chance I got. I cornered him. Believe me, he didn't have much of a choice." 

"You're that irresistible?" Trowa said with a hint of humor. 

"Well, I've gotten no complaints." 

Trowa looked up at Duo and stared at him blankly. 

"I'm persistent, Trowa," Duo said, his lips curving up slightly. 

"I said no to you. Twice." 

Duo furrowed his brow a little and began counting with his fingers. "Yup. Twice." He shrugged a little. "You're just a little harder to crack. But I was still working on you," he said playfully.

"Contradicting everything I said to you, to the point you would rather fall in the river, than accept my help was supposed to win me over?" 

"Don't even remind me!" Duo frowned. "I'm still pissed about that." 

"You've been fighting me ever since that night," Trowa said. 

"Well...because you've been a total asshole since that night! No, wait." Duo scratched his head. "Actually, you were cold and standoffish even *before* that night! Everytime I tried talking to you, I got the cold shoulder." 

"What did I do?" 

"You walked away!" Duo sat up and pointed an accusing finger at Trowa. "Everytime I tried being around you, you just walked away." 

"When you wanted sex," Trowa said. 

"You mean to tell me that every time I came near you, I was trying to get in your pants?" Duo arched his eyebrows. "Sometimes I just tried talking! You don't get that, do you?" 

"Every time you talked to me, it was part of a front," Trowa replied, "an angle to win a game I didn't want to play." 

"You're right. I couldn't stop...playing. I wanted to make sure you'd be sorry for..." Duo lowered his head and sighed. 

"I'm sorry," Trowa said. 

"Yeah. So am I." Duo bit his lower lip and pushed his bangs away from his face with one hand. "Doesn't help us much now..." 

"No." Trowa walked over to Duo and knelt down beside him. "What do you feel for him?" 

Duo remained silent for a few moments. Between playing seduction games with Heero, finding new ways to irritate Trowa, and fending off enemy mobile suits, he hadn't had much time to ask himself that question. The answer was somewhere inside his head. He would just have to search for it, and it wasn't simple. He didn't even know where to begin. 

Heero Yuy was unlike anyone he'd ever met before. He was by no means perfect, as others seemed to think of him, but he came pretty damn close to it. From the way he moved, to the way he talked, to the way the sight of his blue eyes could make him tremble. Terrorist, hacker-extraordinaire, boy wonder, superhero. 

"I feel lots of things," Duo said. "He *is* Heero Yuy, afterall. We all admire him one way or another." 

Trowa shook his head a little, as if he weren't satisfied with that answer. "Do you love him?" 

"Do I?" Duo narrowed his eyes on Trowa. "Why...he's stubborn as all hell! He can be rude, and harsh." Duo shook his head a little and fidgeted with his braid. "He's got a stick up his ass. He's almost as impossible as you are! And he is...he..." Duo trailed off and sighed softly. 

Trowa nodded. "I thought so." 

"It doesn't make a difference, Trowa!" Duo protested. "You work it out with him. I'll step aside." 

"It makes all the difference." 

"Look, he's with you," Duo said. "That's all that matters." 

"He's comfortable with me. I don't challenge him. He doesn't have to worry about what I'm thinking, or if I approve," Trowa said. "But he shares something with you..." 

Duo shook his head. "As far as I'm concerned, the only thing Heero and I have shared is a bed...and it was all part of a stupid game. It's over. I don't want to think about it anymore. It's hard to concentrate in saving the world when I have all this other stuff piling up inside my head. It makes everything more complicated." 

"It was never really a game," Trowa said quietly. "We all just called it that to make ourselves feel better." 

"Maybe." Duo shrugged. "But I don't think it helped. I'm certainly not feeling great right now..." 

"No." Trowa looked down. 

"Look," Duo said, "I'll have a talk with Heero when we get back. I'll end it. You two should go back to what you had before." 

"I don't think that's possible, Duo." 

"Then what?" Duo said with frustration. "I'm offering to back off. What else can I do?" 

"Be honest, that's all," Trowa said. "You are right...we are fighting a war. Trying to put issues away isn't going to help. We need to work it out." 

"All right." Duo nodded. "So what do we do now?" 

"I don't know," Trowa said. "If I did, it never would have gotten this far. It would never have happened at all." 

"Well...as you say, that hardly matters now." Duo rubbed his temples. 

"I'll leave." 

Duo looked up in surprise. Had he heard correctly? Had Trowa just offered to *leave*? 

"That's nonsense!" Duo stated firmly. "You can't leave. We both know that if we want to win this war, we're gonna have to work together." 

"I didn't mean literally," Trowa said quietly. "I'll step aside." 

"No." Duo frowned and shook his head. 

"No?" Trowa cocked his head to the side. 

"No!" Duo shouted. "That's what I said! I can't let you do that...don't ask me why. I just can't." 

Trowa looked down and cleared his throat. "Duo, I--" 

"No," Duo said again. "And stop asking me that before I change my mind and decide that I want to ship you to the moon base, and have Heero all to myself..." Duo winced at his own words. There it was. He had said it, loud and clear. And it was true. Despite himself, he did want Heero. He couldn't deny it. The game had gone too far, and it had turned into something else... 

Duo took a deep breath. For the first time in weeks, he felt at peace. That tightness in his chest was no longer there, and he could now look at Trowa straight in the eye, knowing that there was nothing else to hide. No more games. No more masks. 

"I don't want Heero at any cost," Trowa said quietly. "I want him to be...happy." 

"And what makes you think he will be happy if you go?" Duo challenged. "Do you honestly believe he's with you only because he's *comfortable*?" He shook his head. "When he looks at me, I don't see the same light in his eyes. It's not *the* look. He reserves that one for you. And all this time, I had been hoping that it would be me, that he would look at me the same way he looks at you. I wanted to take your place...but I can't. I was wrong for even trying." 

"You don't need to take my place, Duo," Trowa said quietly, "you have yours." 

"When we get back, I want you to make everything go back to normal. I want everything to be the way it used to be," Duo pleaded. "Take control... the way you did that night, when you came back from your mission." 

"Take control?" Trowa sighed softly. "I could do that..." 

"Then do it!" Duo said. "I'll step aside, and you make everything go back to normal." 

"You would rather have the illusion that everything is fine," Trowa said. 

"I don't want an illusion, Trowa. That's not what I need. I just want to know that this game we all played is not gonna come back to haunt us," Duo said. "We screwed up. Now I want to fix it." 

"Then don't ask me to take control," Trowa said, "because I'm tired of it and illusion is all that it is." 

Duo sighed. "I guess we'll have to figure something out...when we get back." 

Trowa nodded. He put his jacket back on and wrapped his arms around himself. "These...feelings," he said, "do they scare you?" 

Duo looked at Trowa for a moment. He was not scared of piloting a Gundam, or fighting battles; he was not scared of war, or death, but this was different. "I guess it's always scary, to have feelings," he said. "Those, you cannot control." 

"I didn't think I had any when I first became a Gundam pilot," Trowa said. "It may have been better not to have discover them." 

"I didn't think you had any either." Duo smiled softly. "But it's a nice surprise." 

"Am I that cold?" Trowa frowned. 

"Cold as winter," Duo said, "at least when you're around me." 

"You don't accept me when I'm trying to be nice to you." 

"That's because you always have this air of superiority! I'm never sure if you're trying to be nice, or just show how good you are, at everything you do." Duo bit his lip. "I think I misunderstood you." 

"Why is that?" 

"I don't know." Duo shrugged. "I guess it's just that some of the things you do, make little sense to me. And I'm used to doing things *my* way. You make me feel like my ways are wrong... and whatever you chose to do is best." He paused for a moment and looked up at Trowa. "It's probably all in my head." 

Trowa nodded. "I meant what I said. If we were on your colony, I would follow your advice there, knowing you would understand it better than I. On Earth, I have more experience. It has nothing to do with which of us is the better soldier." 

"Of course not!" Duo grinned. "We already know that *I* am the better soldier," he said, playfully. 

"You're undisciplined," Trowa stated. 

Duo crossed his arms over his chest. "Thanks. You're anal." 

"Maybe." Trowa shrugged. "But I'm dry." 

"Sure." Duo nodded. "But I'm the one with the sleeping bag tonight." He smirked. 

"Because I'm nice." 

Duo arched an eyebrow. "I think it's because you don't really want me to freeze my ass and die, or you'll get your butt kicked by Oz tomorrow." 

"Of course." Trowa nodded. "I always have an ulterior motive." 

"Yup. I knew it," Duo said. He watched Trowa for a few moments, noticing the slight trembles of his body as he tried to fight the cold. The light jacket he had on would not be enough to keep him warm through the night. Duo looked over at the blanket he'd rolled up to use as a pillow. Even with that blanket, Trowa would not be able to sleep much at all. 

"You look a little chilly there. I think you'll need more than the blanket tonight," Duo said. "So...I suppose I could be nice..." Duo patted down the sleeping bag. 

Trowa looked at Duo for moment. 

"What?" Duo threw his hands up in the air. "I'm gonna feel bad if you're dead in the morning! We can share. The bag is yours anyway..." 

"It's a small bag," Trowa said. 

Duo arched and eyebrow and looked down at the bag. He lifted the sides with both hands and took a look inside. He pretended to make calculations, and measured it with his fingers. "Plenty of room here," he finally said. "Enough for a tall and skinny pilot." 

Trowa remained silent, not moving from his seated position. "Are you sure?" 

Duo rolled his eyes. "Would I be asking you if I wasn't?" 

Trowa took off his shoes and crawled over to the bag. He slid inside, next to Duo. 

Duo wiggled a little inside the bag until he found a comfortable position. "There," he said. "At least we won't be cold." 

"No," Trowa said quietly. 

Duo took a deep breath and looked up, his eyes fixing up on the moon once more. He wondered again, like he had many times in the past, if perhaps Heero was also looking up at the moon. Whatever he was doing, wherever he was, could he appreciate a moon like this? 

Probably not. 

Heero was too preoccupied with many other things. Obsessed with his laptop and his Gundam, it was a wonder that he even took a break for sex. But he was human, afterall, as full of hormones as any other boy, Perfect Soldier or not. 

Someday, Duo would have to teach him all about the moon, and stargazing. He would make him look out of his cockpit and enjoy the sky. Someday... 

"I guess we should sleep now." Duo looked over at Trowa with the corner of his eye.

"Yeah," Trowa said. 

"'nite," Duo whispered. 

"Good night, Duo." 

Duo rolled on his side, careful not to rub against Trowa. A guy only had so much control over his own body, and getting a woody in the middle of the night was probably not a good idea. Not under their circumstances, anyway. 

He tossed and turned for a few minutes, unable to find a comfortable position. The bag was big enough for two people, but only if said two people weren't pulling away in opposite directions. 

Trowa had not moved at all. He lay still on his back, staring blankly at the sky. Hesitantly, Duo moved closer to Trowa and lightly rested his head over his chest, hoping he wouldn't mind. The worst that could happen is that Trowa would tell him to move away, and Duo was used to his rejection. No biggie. Or perhaps, he would just tell him that sharing a sleeping bag wasn't a good idea, and that might be a problem...because one of them would have to sleep with the blanket and turn into an icicle. 

But Trowa didn't do any of that. Instead, he lightly wrapped his arm around him, and Duo sighed. Being close to Trowa this way would keep him warm, it would keep him comfortable. 

"This is...weird," Duo whispered. 

Trowa immediately removed his arm and sat up. "I'm sorry. I'll take the blanket." 

"No, no!" Duo pulled Trowa back to him. "It's weird, but it isn't bad. It's just...different."

"Different?" Trowa asked. 

"Being here with you," Duo said. "I can let down the guard. Who would have thought!" 

"I'm not always in control," Trowa said quietly. 

"I guess I just never saw you in any other light." Duo shrugged. "Except for that time, when you lost your memory." 

"I remember floating..." Trowa looked up at the sky, as if he were picturing his time lost in space. 

"What was it like, being out there?" Duo asked, as he rested his chin on Trowa's chest. 

"I don't remember much." Trowa closed his eyes. "There was a bright light and it hurt for a moment. And then...I was just floating. It was like what being free must feel like." 

"Free...lost in space?" Duo shook his head a little. "I think that sounds rather scary!" 

"It was good to be a little...weightless," Trowa continued, "for a while. There was no memory then. Only feeling." 

"Sorta like dreaming awake," Duo whispered. 

"Yes. Without the trappings of everything that came before." 

"You could still feel like that," Duo said, and he closed his eyes. "Just, let go..." 

"It was nice, but there is a reality that must be dealt with. This is war. It's not the right time," Trowa said, and Duo heard that tone of command in his voice again, the one that meant *business*. So this is how Trowa kept himself going, this is how he could keep fighting. 

Duo was beginning to understand. "But when you're not in battle," he said, "you should let go then." 

"It would be too tempting not to come back." Trowa smiled a little, and the smile made his face soft and gentle. His eyes were not merely reflecting the moon, but they had a light of their own. 

Duo offered him a warm smile in return. "You should do that more often." 

Their eyes met. And then, Trowa leaned forward and gently brushed his lips over Duo's. Duo didn't pull back, he moved closer, and he opened his mouth allowing Trowa to deepen the kiss. 

He felt his heart racing, his temperature rising, his body reacting to the sensations, to the warmth of that kiss. And who knew, that a kiss from Trowa Barton would actually taste so sweet... 

Trowa pulled back slowly. "I suppose, now is not the time to...just let go," he said. 

"Maybe there won't be another chance." Duo sighed softly as Trowa's fingers brushed through his bangs. 

Duo took Trowa's hand away from his hair and held it tight. "It might not be so hard to like you after all," he said. He pushed himself up a little and kissed Trowa's cheek. 

Trowa looked at Duo for a moment, an amused expression on his face. "You'll be cursing me again tomorrow." 

"Probably." Duo yawned, as he slid back down to rest his cheek on Trowa's chest. 

* * *

Fin...

_for now ^_~_

DaMoyre and Stephanie


End file.
